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13 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 1 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. (2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1 New Revised Standard Version Bible)
Our eldest grandson and I took a walk the other day and I asked how his friends reacted to his upcoming move out of Houston to a site closer to us. I asked, "Did they say, 'Bummer man! Why is that?'" He laughed a kind laugh and he said, "They don't talk like that, grandpa." Of course they don't. They're babies and the language of the 60's is long forgotten. I wonder how many of you reading this ever even heard of the phrase used as today's devotional title. And truth be told I probably read that more than I actually said it to any living humans. But it fits what Paul was trying to convey in this passage; and we all know what a hippie the Apostle Paul was! Long hair, a beard, a multicolored toga, probably bathed in incense when water was not readily available, and burned incense at his home altar.
What Paul is sharing is hope for those in ministry, both lay and clargy alike. It was through God's mercy that we were called into ministry and because of that ministry, we should not lose heart. But our strength comes from knowing that through God's strength we walked away from "secret and shameful ways," including our not using deceptive tricks to convey God's truth or in our sharing our faith. Paul says that on the contrary, we are people of truth, plain and simple, as we commend ourselves to everybody's heart as we live in God's plain sight. Paul provides profound insights into the nature of faith and the hope that sustains us through life's trials. He speaks of the spirit of faith that moves believers to proclaim the truth of the Gospel, rooted in the assurance of Christ's resurrection and the promise of our own resurrection with him. Paul acknowledges the challenges and sufferings that believers face in this life but encourages them not to lose heart. He contrasts the temporary nature of our earthly existence, with its trials and tribulations, with the eternal glory that awaits us in Christ. Our mortal bodies may decay, but our inner selves are being renewed day by day through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Paul reminds us that our present sufferings are but a small price to pay for the incomparable glory that awaits us in eternity. As we fix our eyes not on the visible, temporary things of this world but on the unseen, eternal realities of God's kingdom, our perspective shifts. We are reminded that our true home is not in this world but in the presence of God, where we will dwell forever in the heavenly dwelling prepared for us by our loving Father.
PRAYER: Loving God, Thank You for the gift of faith that sustains us through life's trials and tribulations. Help us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, as we journey through this world. Renew our inner selves day by day through the power of Your Holy Spirit, that we may live with confidence and hope in the promise of eternal life with You; this we pray in Christ Jesus' holy and strong name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Reflect on the temporary nature of the trials you are facing in your life. How can you shift your perspective to focus on the eternal glory that awaits you in Christ? Take time to meditate on the promises of God's Word and find encouragement in the hope of your future inheritance as a child of God. Let this hope sustain you and empower you to persevere in faith, knowing that your present sufferings are preparing you for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure.
I love you and I thank God for you!
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
